101 Ways to be Happy

I found this article from tripbase.com and it a really good article about ways to make you happier. One in particular that I have to do more often is to travel, but funds to do so are very limited. When I go places it has to be somewhere close so that my truck will not run out of gas. Sad aint it?

TRAVEL

1) Travel when you can. Travel can open your eyes to the world and offer a fresh new perspective.

2) Take a weekend trip. If you haven’t got the funds for a jaunt to Paris, no matter. Even a weekend or day long break from home can make you happier.

3) Spend time by the ocean. There’s nothing like sand between your toes and fresh sea air.

4) Go camping. Commune with nature closer to home—the food will taste better and you’ll sleep deeper in the great outdoors.

5) Go skydiving. Face your fears and reap the benefits of this exhilarating extreme sport—you’ll be euphoric for weeks.

6) Go stargazing. Find a spot relatively free of unnatural light and marvel at the beauty of the night sky.

7) Sit in front of a beautiful view. Find a spot close by with a nice view that you can visit when you need a break.

WORK

8 ) Make enough money to meet your basic needs. Studies have shown that anything beyond that amount will not necessarily make you happier.

9) Avoid financial hierarchies. For a new job, choose a place where everyone makes a similar amount. People feel better when they feel equal to their co-workers.

10) Find satisfaction in the job you have. Don’t expect to find one job that will make you happy—instead focus on the positive aspects of your work instead of blaming a job for your unhappiness.

11) Take initiative at work. You’ll gain professional respect, self-fulfillment and feel more in control in the workplace.

12) Keep plants in your workspace. The LA Times found that employees who decorate their office space are more satisfied with their jobs.

13) Bake cookies and bring them to work. You’ll enjoy the baking and making your co-workers happy.

HEALTH

14) Get enough sleep. Sleeping for 8 hours per night can elevate your mood and better prepare you to greet the day.

15) Take vitamin C. Keeping your immune system happy will keep you happy.

22) Meditate. According to the Dalai Lama as well as several medical studies, meditation not only decreases stress, but also triggers a neurological response that makes you happy.

23) Do yoga. Learning to control your breathing through yoga practice helps you control your responses to stress and fear.

24) Get a massage. Besides its relaxing properties, the touch involved in massage creates warmth in your body and releases the chemical oxytocin—also known as the cuddle hormone.

25) Eat chickpeas (or other beans). Chickpeas have an amino acid that makes you happy, and beans keep your sugar levels steady throughout the day.

26) Have sex. Numerous studies show that a healthy sexual intimacy with a caring partner can have tremendous physical and emotional benefits.

27) Install more windows in your house. Getting enough exposure to the sun has been proven to be crucial to happiness and well-being.

28) Put full-spectrum lights in your home or office. If you live in a wintry climate that doesn’t get much sun, you can replicate the effect with light bulbs that mimic the sun’s rays.

29) Drink coffee. Studies in Brazil showed that people who drink coffee every day are less likely to suffer from depression. Coffee is the world’s most popular mood-enhancing drug, but remember to drink in moderation

30) Eat more spinach. Popeye’s favorite green is packed with folic acid, an important vitamin that boosts serotonin production.

31) Eat foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids. Certain kinds of fish like salmon or sardines have Omega-3, which is known to elevate mood levels—high doses are even used to treat depression.

32) Eat more colorful fruits and vegetables. They contain antioxidants which help remove toxins from our bodies that cause stress and aging.

33) Put some strawberries in your breakfast. The smell of strawberries is known to invigorate and energize.

34) Drink hot mint tea. The scent of fresh mint is energizing and the steam will perk you up.

ATTITUDE

35) Smile. It takes fewer muscles to smile than it does to frown.

36) Make a grateful list. Focus on all the great things in your life to enhance feelings of joy and attract more good things.

38) Follow your gut. Most of the time your first instinct is not only correct, but the best choice.

39) Don’t regret your decisions. If it turns out you were wrong, don’t waste time worrying about it, instead make the next best decision and move forward.

40) Accept that you can’t be happy all the time. Focus on being content and the truly happiness will be all that much sweeter.

41) Try to see from others’ perspectives. Much of our unhappiness comes from our frustration with other people not understanding us. Try to imagine how they see the world and the frustration will ease.

43) Make the decision to be happy. Happiness is an attitude, not a physical state.

44) Don’t take things personally. So often, anger and frustration directed at us is a result of someone else’s misplaced stress. Recognize that it’s not necessarily about you and you’ll remain calmer and happier.

45) Savor the small moments. People who take longer to enjoy small moments and then reflect on them later in the day show significant increases in happiness.

68) Take a nap. A quick power nap, especially on a sunny afternoon, is luxurious and will help you make it through the day.

69) Change one thing in your daily routine. You’ll stave off boredom and might discover something new that delights you.

70) Take a walk. Taking a quick walk, even just around the block can clear your mind and raise your mood.

71) Surround yourself with smells that make you happy. Smell is a much overlooked sense that greatly affects our mood—try a coconut shampoo that reminds you of a vacation or bake cookies that remind you of childhood.

72) Listen to upbeat music. Even just a few minutes of a hip-shaking tune gets your blood flowing and makes you feel more positive.

73) Set your alarm early on a day you know you get to sleep in. When you wake up you’ll get the pleasure of realizing that you don’t have to get out of bed—then rolling over for some more satisfying zzz’s.

74) Paint a room in your house yellow. Looking at the color yellow has been proven to improve moods.

75) Make a home cooked-meal. You’ll get not only tasty food, but the pride of having made it yourself.

76) Dress up for no reason. Putting on clothes that make you feel good increases your self-esteem and your mood.

77) Add some soft blue to your bedroom. Light blue has been shown to be the most calming color and can set the mood for a restful night’s sleep—essential to a positive attitude.

78) Do something you loved as a kid. Riding a roller-coaster or going sledding can help you connect to your inner child and remember simple thrills.

79) Wear red. Red can make us feel confident, powerful and strong.

80) Splash on some perfume/aftershave. Studies show that floral scents can make you happier.